Doing The Best We Can

Do you think people are doing the best they can, usually? It’s a question we were asking at book club last night, as we sat around my kitchen table eating my soup and biscuits. We read “The Untethered Soul”, and it seemed ironic to all of us, that the place we used the lessons the most was at work. Because all of us spend 8 (at least!) hours a day there with people with whom we have to get along, by necessity not by choice.

In her book Rising Strong, Brene Brown has a whole chapter on whether or not people are doing the best they can. I remember reading it on my way to Virginia to my nieces wedding. I was reading before the plane took off, and 20 minutes later, I was reading this chapter, the break-up with S very fresh, only 2 weeks before. I was looking so forward to being with my whole family, in their loving arms, for a joyous occasion.

I wasn’t doing well with the break-up. I was devastated. The text I got, ending our relationship, was just so cruel, I couldn’t get past it. I knew I was the one that holding onto the pain would kill. But I couldn’t seem to find a way out of it, and then, I didn’t even know the whole truth, I didn’t even know they’d been together all summer, and S denied it vehemently.

I was sitting in the plane and read this chapter about whether or not most people are doing the best they can. A door was opened for me, with that chapter, to walk through, toward forgiveness. I clutched my kindle to my chest for a moment, and turned to look out the window, so my seat mates wouldn’t see the tears rolling down my cheeks. As I looked out the window, I saw we were flying down Long Island Sound, over places that I loved, that my ex and I had gone to in the boat many times. Places where. I have memories with my son as a toddler, long hot summer days. Shelter Island, Three Mile Harbor, Sag Harbor, Montauk. I have called them places of my dreams.

It was like a gift, to see those places at that moment, the water sparkling in the autumn sun, the islands and harbors clear and crisp. I realized then, that S, and my ex, were doing the best they could at the time. Caught up in something they lost control of, emotions that had their root somewhere deep inside of them. And me too…. I had been writing out my pain here, because that’s how I deal with pain. I knew S read it, I was lashing out at him.

Doing the best I could also.

I hadn’t spoken to him for some days at least, at that time. When the plane landed, I sent him a text telling him that I knew he was doing the best he could, and that I hoped he knew I was too.

I find acknowledging this so much easier than being angry and vengeful. I believe in unconditional love, which means we don’t get to pick and choose who we love. I have been blessed to have unconditional love all my life, and I was flying into it, going to my family. Who was I to judge anyone else? We don’t know the burdens another carries. Even though I thought I knew him well, obviously I didn’t know him that well.

My ex….was all about power and control, because he didn’t know how else to keep people in his life. The idea of unconditional love was foreign to him, and he never realized that the only control he ever had over me was the amount he loved me. Which, by the end, I didn’t feel at all. And he blindsided himself, he thought I had no choice but to stay with him. Thought that right up until I walked out the door.

But I think, in all honesty, he was doing the best he could with the tools he was given, to keep his family together. He just wasn’t able to love, wholly and unconditionally. He didn’t know better. What’s worse, is he didn’t believe he was worthy of love just because he existed. He was taught that love had to be earned, and could be taken away at any moment.

I can’t think of anything more painful that believing for your whole life that you are not worthy of love and belonging. As if, because he was the child of broken people, it changed the fact that he still, on his own, was worthy. He tried, really, to be different, but he didn’t have the tools. I didn’t understand, and was caught up in that cycle of abuse, power, control. I was unequipped to help him.

But yeah, I think people, for the most part are doing the best they can based on their level of consciousness at the time. I try to remember that when I’m at work, and people irritate me. I try to take a breath, and be kind, compassionate. I don’t know what burdens they are carrying.

It’s a lesson worth holding on to. We’re all just walking each other home, after all.

22 responses to “Doing The Best We Can”

I can honestly say, I give my 100% each day, even if there is only 50% of me (sick or exhausted), I will give 100% of that. I push myself everyday to just do alittle more. My ex, always did the least amount he could, he would if he could (never work, never think, never do, never love, never be). Now my current fiancé, he gives it all, until he sits, then is off for awhile, but can be brought back with some gentle urging (which he tells me he encourages me to do).

Lucky that you have found someone who gets it. I too, tend to just give without much thought. My ex made my life miserable, with his power games, his attempts to make me feel never good enough. It took me some time to understand the dynamics at play in our families dysfunction. I have bee able to forgive, and be kind to him. Also with S. It’s so much better than the ugliness that can pervade if allowed to. Happy for you that you have a great guy!

We sound a lot alike in that regard. I am a giver, taking care of others makes me happy. I realized just recently I fixed all his problems, or what I perceived his problems were – being in debt (worked more and paid for it – he just spent more), lack of emotion and love to the kids (I made excuses), sloth like behavior (I just worked twice as hard). Now I don’t have to fix or anything him. I forgave him as well, but he won’t say anything nice to me, so we don’t talk at all. I do have a great one, he is a diamond, and was not even rough (just tough).

This is so beautiful. I wish I could feel like this all the time, really. But sometimes the anger takes over… like With a narcissist when they show unfathomable arrogance and try to make you feel small and worthless… That makes me just furious.. and I can usually not stop from lashing back out at them, in the moment.. but after a while I start thinking that I pity them, instead… that they must be so small and tragic as people, that they can not show genuine love for another.. lots to think about, on this topic.

I believe in forgiveness, to stop oneself from being eaten alive by bitterness, mostly. But I still have so much raw pain left inside so I am far away from forgiveness still.. thanks for sharing this! 💜

Oh survived, I think forgiveness takes time. I was angry at my ex for so long, and I had to stay angry to continue to fight the good fight for my son. I tried to stay aware of the fact that I was letting the anger drive me, and not let it take over me. Some how I managed it but for the first 2 years I was just angry. How dare he???!! Now I just see him as a sad man who will never experience a moments joy in his life. We rarely communicate any longer which helps too. With S there are no pressing issues like there were with my ex, which was getting my son out of that mess, so I have found forgiveness easier. It helps me too, that I think he really is sorry. Doesn’t mean any of it was right, but it holds no power over me now. Big hugs on your journey to reclaim your life.

I’m just tired of it all, time to move on and live in the now, I’m tired of thinking about it all and finally, finally it is working for me, Eckhart is amazing, just what I needed, stillness of now, no more thinking about it, and it is amazing how I really don’t want to think about him , no judgment, no anger some days of hurt still but so much better, my minds needs a break along with my heart… love to all of you ladies, we all will rise!!

It’s amazing how the universe will put exactly what you need in your path exactly when you need it, and are willing to listen and hear. It’s happened to me so many times. Eckhart, Thich Nhat Hanh, Liz Gilbert, and Brene Brown, just to name a few. I’m so glad you found him. Definitely on the rise girlfriend. xoxo

I just went to your blog and couldn’t find a follow button. But I “liked” it. Then I came back to my blog, and you had “liked” this blog, and under your name was a follow button so I was able to follow you that way. So…if you go to your latest blog and get the list of who liked it, I should show up and you can then click the follow button under my name. A little convoluted, but it will work, lol. Thanks for letting me know.

I didn’t read your post because I promised myself I would not read old shit.
But to answer the question, I believe the “doing the best ( I or they) can” is the biggest excuse or coppout in the Universe. Personal responsibility isn’t PC, so let’s just keep being little bitches.
Mommy will forgive us. Bullshit!
Do all men a favor, hold us accountable and we will make excuses for the other weak men as well as the women and children.

Accountability is a good thing. Forgiveness also is a good thing. You never know what someone is going through. But on a personal level someone who does the best they can and that level (for them) keeps hurting you is not someone you should be around. We don’t have to keep toxic people in our lives, we can just choose to keep people Who left us up and let the rest go. I think that way they’re still accountable because they see that you’re not going to keep them around but you can forgive them and not hold on to anger for Their behavior, but just let it go.